Its Not Over
by wallowinthehallow
Summary: Post finale, Lorelai and Luke deal with what that kiss meant, Rory is on the road and one Collier Stone, is about to make things a lot more interesting. Just trying to pick up where the show left off. Please read and review lovies!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Isaac Mizrahi

She watched as she disappeared down the corridor, cursed the security regulations and hoped to herself that somewhere out in the big world Rory would find all the things she hoped it held for her. Soon she lost site of her only child, the love of her life, the one thing that made the rest worth while and it really hit her, Rory was gone. Lorelai felt the catch in her breath and a stinging in her chest but managed to choke back the tears. She knew one day she would have to let go, but knowing and doing at this moment seemed so unrelated. All of the phone calls in the world wouldn't fill the hole that was now residing deep in her chest; it was the end of an era. The secret club made only for two now only held one and the loneliness overcame her.

Driving home every song that came on the dial reminded her somehow of Rory, every funny quip the DJ made she tried to memorize so she could tell Rory later. She felt like she just got her back, it was too soon to let her go again. Just as she was about to let the tears finally come her cell phone chirped from her purse. She was so excited hoping it was Rory she accidentally dumped out the entire contents on the passenger seat and floor boards.

"Ahhh.." She complained aloud, searching through the lip gloss and date books, receipts and candy wrappers. "Come on where are you." She said briefly looking back up at the road then continuing her search. The phone chirped again and revealed its new location, just unbearably out of reach on the floor board. Lorelai returned to the task at hand and made her way across the busy traffic way to the shoulder, unbuckled her seat belt and retrieved her cell phone as if it was a long lost treasure. She hastily flipped open the phone and suddenly felt completely justified in her actions when she saw the new messages were both from Rory.

_I am about to go on the campaign trail with Obama and all I can think is I miss my mommy._

Read the first. Lorelai smiled. She knew her daughter missed her as well but she also knew that her only born knew her mother well and knew that is was about the time that she would be debating if it was too soon to express her feelings. She smiled as she moved to the second message.

_What? No answer? You've forgotten about me already? Made my room into a home gym, donated my books to charity, took my picture off the mantel…_

She chuckled. She had her mothers flair for dramatics that was for sure. She quickly messaged back.

_Rory, you messaged just in time, you think I should face the treadmill towards the window or the TV, window I might feel like I am going somewhere but TV has a better chance of motivating me. _

She chuckled knowing her daughter would read between the lines and hear the "Miss you too kid." In her words.

She didn't hear from Rory again until later that night when she'd gotten settled at the hotel in Des Moines Iowa.

"Hey hon, how was the trip." Lorelai asked choking on emotion once again.

"Good, long, but good. There will be a short orientation session here the next couple of days, just to get us acclimated, learn the rules of the road so to speak, then its off to Nebraska."

"Nebraska huh…" Lorelai said and trailed off.

"You've got nothing for Nebraska do you."

"Nope not a thing…does anything funny ever happen in Nebraska?"

"I'll let you know when I get there." Rory said. They sat on the line silent for a moment, neither sure what to say because they weren't sure what was to come. "Well listen I am wiped out from traveling, I think I am going to hit the hay and curl up with Isaac."

"Mizrahi?" Lorelai joked.

"Nope Babel."

"Awww too bad, I thought you might be able to get me a discount on his shoes."

"If only. Goodnight Mom." Rory said reluctant to hang up the phone.

"Night kid." Lorelai said holding a pause to see if there was more, a plea to let her come home and never let her leave but there was only air.

Lorelai hung up the phone and sat for a while unable to comprehend her new life without Rory. Sure, they had had their time apart, but this was different. This was the start of the rest of Rorys life, adult life away from Lorelai and the cocoon of their sleepy little town. Rory had to make her choices for herself now, for her career, she had to go where she had to in order to follow the dream they had been working toward since she could remember. It was time now to let her fly. And Lorelai had wings of her own to try.

Chapter 2: Monks

It had been two weeks since Rory left. Lorelai was back to her typical manner of coping, making herself so busy she couldn't notice that anything had changed. She got up early to go to work and stayed late, spent time with Sookie, had dinner with Babette and Maury, and of course there was Luke.

Luke allowed Lorelai her space for a couple of days after Rory left, he knew she'd need it. They didn't discuss the matter of "them" or even more importantly that kiss the night of Rorys going away part until he felt like she'd had enough time. He hadn't seen her in the diner and began to worry that maybe, it was a kiss and nothing more. He waited until he knew she'd be home and just stopped by, it was the best way to catch her when she was in ultra fast paced coping mode. Paul Anka barked when he rang the bell. At first she didn't answer, so he rang it again.

"Ok, ok I hear you keep you pants…" she said opening the front door. "On…Luke hi." She never expected to be taken back by the site of him, but still she almost always was.

"I brought beer" Luke said holding up a six pack.

"Who told you the secret password?" Lorelai joked allowing him to pass into the living room.

Luke sat the beer on the coffee table, took out two beers opened them and handed her one.

"Thank you." She said taking the beer. She took a sip and looked around.

"Lor.."

"Lu…" they both began to speak at the same time.

"Go ahead." She said.

"No, you." He persisted.

"Luke…I…I messed up. And I hurt you."

"You're not the only one, I put you off, I didn't make you enough of a part of my life. I got caught up in April and I just…" Luke sighed.

"I know."

"I never meant to hurt you Lorelai."

"And I hate that I hurt you Luke. I really do. I don't know what I was thinking with Chris. When you're upset you shouldn't get married, that isn't how grown ups deal with things Britney Spears maybe, adults no, and I know I was harsh to you and I…" Luke could hear the tone in her voice she was heading for a rant that could possibly last long enough for both of them to turn grey, so he did the only thing he knew to do, he kissed her. She pulled away for a moment and let her hand trace the outline of his face.

"I was hoping you would say that." She said before continuing their kiss.

There was a lot more to talk about, but as far as they were concerned they had a lot of time to do it. And for the last two weeks they had been taking it slow, getting used to the idea again, using caution with their hearts and easing back into a more familiar place. They weren't there yet, but there was potential they both wanted it but they had rushed in twice before, they weren't about to make the same mistake again.

"Lorelai!" Babette shouted as she cross the street towards Lukes diner. Lorelai could hear the heels of Babettes shoes clicking feverishly behind her and turned around.

"Hey Babette."

"Hey Sugah, wow, you were movin so fast…I need a second…" She breathed heavily. "To catch my wind." Lorelai waited. "Ah there it is."

"Are you ok Babette?" Lorelai asked putting her hand on her back.

"Oh yeah I'm fine, I've got great lungs, water aerobics over in Woodbridge every Thursday night, and the instructor, wow, you could bounce a nickel too the moon off that tush of his."

"I will keep that in mind the next time I am planning on sending my spare change to space. Sooooo everything is ok then?"

"Oh yeah I'm fine, but how are you? You doing ok, everything going all right? You've been running around here like a mad woman lately and we all know what that means?"

"What does that mean?"

"Trouble."

"Trouble, Babette I'm fine I'm just keeping busy you know what they say, idle hands and all."

"What about you and Luke, hows things, don't let him break your heart again sugar, no man is worth the heart ache even our Luke, God love him."

"Luke and I are fine. We're going slow, we want it to work, its going to work. At the end of the day, I love him. And for the record I am not innocent in the heart breaking department it wasn't all him."

"Oh honey, its always their fault." Babette said walking away.

Talking with Babette even after all these years often left Lorelai stunned. Today was no different. Lorelai continued her walk to the diner and took a seat at the counter.

"Hey." Luke said nodding in her direction.

"Hey." Lorelai said leaning over the counter for her kiss.

"Hey Luke…you love me right?"

"Coffee will be done in a second I'm not denying you I just have nothing to give you." Luke said picking up an order and placing it in front of Kirk.

"I'm not after coffee that's a real question. You love me right?"

"Of course I do. We discussed this. I'm a fool, you're a fool everyone is a fool, we shouldn't have ever been apart and I love you, you're in my life…what brought this on?"

"Odd run in with Babette, she is afraid we're going to break up again, and I'll be heart broken, and the saga will continue, I think our relationship is getting a little too Peyton Place for everyone around here so I was just making sure, that you love me and this isn't like some cruel experiment like I'm on the Island of Doctor Moreau and you are Doctor Moreau and I am nothing more to you than a test of the animal human."

Luke just looked at Lorelai trying to figure out what the hell just happened and who Doctor Moreau was.

"You have no idea what I am talking about do you?" Lorelai finally said releasing him from his brain bending.

"Not a clue."

"Pay no attention to me."

"You know what they say Lorelai third time is a charm." He said pulling the fresh pot of coffee over and filling her cup. Lorelai smiled and took a sip.

"Yeah, third time is a charm." She repeated trailing off into thought. He always worried when she got quite normally it meant she was over thinking things, normally things concerning him, which meant he had to keep her from being quite at almost all times.

"And besides, this works out or I move to Tibet and become a monk."

"I was a monk once…"Kirk chimed in. "It wasn't for me I have a misshapen head, shaving it caused some major lacerations, the doctors call it a mid-cranial ridge it was brutal and let me tell you the end result, not pretty."

"Wow." Lorelai said not knowing what else to possibly say.

"Yeah, its for the best mother didn't take well to me living at the monastery, no one else will put the cream on her feet at night."

"Whoa Kirk, this is a diner, people come here to eat, no one wants to hear about your mother, or her feet." Luke said pulling Lorelai around the counter and behind the curtain.

"My hero." She chirped once they were free of Kirk.

"How that guy manages to dress himself everyday is really beyond me." Luke said annoyed as ever at Kirk.

"So…did ya bring me back here for a reason?" Lorelai asked.

"If I didn't get away from Kirk soon, I might have killed him." Luke replied. Lorelai fidgeted in front of him.

"Right, so Kirk, is the ooonly reason were back here? You didn't have a master plan?"

"Nope, strictly fight or flight."

"Uh-huh, so it didn't even cross your mind that there are stairs back here?"

"Not on the top of the list no."

"Uh-huh and those stairs lead up to your apartment."

Luke knew where this was going but was having more fun making her work for it.

"Hadn't really thought about it no." He said slipping a finger in the loop holes of her slacks.

"Uh-huh so, you hadn't thought about that up, those stairs and in that apartment, there is a bed, a bed I have not actually seen in a _very _long time."

"Now that you mention it…no no, wasn't really thinking that sorry." Luke said.

Lorelai knew she was teasing him and he was playing along, but she also knew that she was about to win the teasing war. She had to get back to the Inn.

"Its ok." She said smiling switching from her teasing voice to her normal voice. "I have to get back to the Inn anyway." She said flipping back the curtain and gathering her things to go.

"Oh that is so, not fair, I have a list of things that aren't fair, you know inflation, Bush winning a second term, and finally on the top of the list you…teasing me with…" Luke realized he was no longer behind the protective curtain. "I'll see you tonight." He said as she walked through the door.

"See you tonight." She said with a giggle closing the door behind her. She didn't mean to be an evil woman but now and then she just couldn't help herself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, not the Gilmore Girls, not Luke, no one. **

Chapter Three: You Freak, I Freak

As Lorelai walked up to the kitchen entrance of the Inn, she could hear Jackson and Sookie bickering inside. She couldn't help but laugh, it seemed their kitchen side spats kept them in love with one and other. But today something was different; they stopped as soon as she walked in and got very quite.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Lorelai said.

Sookie looked frantic. "Going on? With what? With us? Oh you know, nothing, the carrots he brought are kind of mealy, and the uh…the uh…."

"Tomatoes, the tomatoes, they just really stink. They're really awful." Jackson said playing along.

"Oook?" Lorelai said raising an eye brow and pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Well I better be going I have more deliveries to make." Jackson said kissing Sookie on the cheek. "Bye Lorelai. And I'll see you at home." He said as he shut the door behind him.

"Ok, what's with you two?" Lorelai asked once she was sure he was gone.

"Oh you know us, he brings me bad veggies, I tell him, we argue." Sookie tried as she might, but was not about to justify this situation to her best friend, Lorelai knew better.

"Yeah but, Jackson always defends the vegetables, he was pretty hostile towards the tomatoes back there."

"He's learning to admit when he is wrong."

"Sookie." Lorelai said shooting her the cut the crap look.

"Ok, ok, we were arguing about…"

"You were arguing about?"

"You and Luke getting back together." Sookie said immediately rushing closer to Lorelai.

"What?" Lorelai couldn't believe her ears. "About me and Luke, Sookie, is there something I should know I thought you were all on board, you are the one who told me he planned the party, you are the one who has telling me that I love Luke and Luke loves me since before I would even admit I found burger boy attractive, why, why would you be arguing about this, what is there to be argued, he loves me, I love him…" Lorelai was in rant mode.

"I know Lorelai I know, that is what I was telling Jackson everything you've said and more. I promise you I'm behind you and Luke."

"But Jackson isn't? What please tell me, was his argument?"

"Well…"

"Sookie."

"He just doesn't want to see you hurt again. He's afraid…"

"He's afraid…you think he's afraid, I don't know if you have met me or not, but I am freaking out here. And it doesn't help to have everyone in town just waiting for this to all fall apart again, its too much pressure. On top of the ever present pressure of making sure I don't loose him again, I don't say or do anything to get us back to that place where he can't even look at me, and I can't stand to see him because it just hurts so badly. So if Jackson thinks he's afraid then well, he is mistaken because he has no idea what fear is."

"Oh honey." Sookie said hugging her friend. When Lorelai pulled away she had tears in her eyes.

"I just…I just don't think that I could loose him again you know. But I also can't live in fear of loosing him again all the time, and it's enough to make you crazy trying to balance all of these thoughts in my head. I just…I wish we could have just got it right the first time but we didn't because I am not meant to have what I want, I am never supposed to have the happily ever after dream. I am thirty-eight years old, and I have yet to hold a successful relationship. I've been engaged twice, and divorced once less than a year after we were married…"

"You made a mistake with Christopher, you wanted it to work, but it wasn't meant to be." Sookie said holding Lorelais hand tight.

" Its not for me Sook, I am not the marrying sort, it isn't in the cards for me."

Sookie sat Lorelai down on the stool by the island, held on to her shoulders and made her look her in the eyes.

"I'm not letting you talk yourself out of this Lorelai. I'm not. You are my best friend and you deserve to be happy, and Luke makes you happy. So maybe you have a past, don't forget he does too. And you can't keep punishing yourself for what happened between you guys before. You deserve this Lorelai. You will be married, it will be to Luke and you will live happily ever after and after all this time, you'll appreciate it even more. You're doing this smart. Going slow. Taking it one day at a time. You guys have always moved so fast before, you waited eight years to get together then went ninety miles an hour towards the finish once you did. Slowly, but surely. You guys are going to win the race." Sookie finished.

"You really believe that Sookie?"

"One hundred percent."

"You aren't just reciting the best friend hand book."

"I lost my copy years ago, I've been off the cuff for a while now."

"Thanks." Lorelai said hugging Sookie.

"That's what I'm here for."

"So you do have you handbook." Lorelai tried to joke.

"Nope, that was all me."

"Wow you're good." Lorelai said collecting herself and making her way into her office.

She sat silent at her desk for a moment and caught her breath tried to make the voice in her head stop running.

It was eight o'clock the dinner rush was winding down and Lorelai was still in her office. Sookie tapped on the door holding a cup of coffee and a brownie.

"Knock, knock." Sookie said waiting for Lorelai to ask her in.

"Oh hi hon, how's it going." Lorelai pretended to be ok.

"I'm fine, what are you doing?"

"End of the month, you know how it is, just tying up things paying bills, signing pay checks."

"You've been in here all day." She said setting the cup and plate before her.

"Thanks." Lorelai said taking a sip of coffee. "You know what they say, no rest for the wicked."

"Uh, huh, well Michel says that Luke has called five times and you keep telling him different reasons you can't talk."

"I'm kind of busy here Sookie, I will see him tonight."

"Uh-huh, yeah hon, its eight, you've been here twelve hours. Your day is done, go have your evening with Luke."

"Its really that late? Wow, I'm just really behind here Sookie I have to get this stuff done." Lorelai said shuffling papers around.

"You're sure you aren't avoiding Luke?"

"No, Sookie, why would I be avoiding Luke?" Lorelai said keeping her eyes glued to the papers before her.

"Oh I don't know could it have anything to do with the melt down in the kitchen earlier?"

"That wasn't a melt down, that was a discussion, I am fine now."

"Can you hand me a purchase order?" Sookie said seemingly changing the subject.

"Yeah, sure, what do you need?" Lorelai asked.

"A closed circuit camera for the kitchen so the next time you have a melt down I can play it back for you."

"Sookie." Lorelai said annoyed.

"I'm sorry Lorelai it is true. Now you have to decide what you are going to do from here, if you are going to hide from Luke and let these thoughts take over your head, or if you are going to actually go out there and put your heart on the line with him one more time, and work your ass off to make sure you prove Jackson and anyone else who loves you both enough to worry about you, wrong."

"I just really can't loose him again."

"Well hiding out from him in here sure isn't going to do you any favors."

"You're right." Lorelai said standing up and grabbing her jacket.

"I know I am. Remind me to get a real purchase order from your tomorrow."

"For?" Lorelai asked putting on her jacket.

"A new microwave."

"A new mic…Sookie what happened to the old…"

"You go, I'll fill you in tomorrow."

"Soo-kiiie." Lorelai whined as Sookie pushed her towards the door.

"Have a good night." Sookie said shutting the door behind her.

Lorelai was preoccupied fumbling with her keys and thinking through the thousand different possibilities of catastrophe that could have become of the microwave, when Luke walked up.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey, I was just about to call you." Lorelai said walking towards him. "What are you doing here?"

"Did Michel tell you I called?"

"Yeah, he did I was just really swamped, I kept meaning to call you back, but…"

"You were swamped right, I understand." Luke said quietly looking at his feet.

"I'm sorry if I upset you." Lorelai said.

"I'm just a little confused, how today, suddenly, after all that stuff this morning about if I really love you, and the craziness Babette put in your head and suddenly you're so swamped at the Inn that you can't take a call. An Inn that as I know from your rant about it two nights ago really isn't that booked this week and you have always been able to take a call or at least return one before. Even during your busiest times you could take a call because oh wait, you own this Inn, and you decide who and when you can talk to people. So that makes me think that maybe, just maybe you've got something in your head and it isn't looking too good for me, in which case, I better start packing because as discussed I have to move to Tibet and buy a razor because apparently to be a monk I have to save my head and face and God knows what else."

"Luke." Lorelai said touching his arm.

"Lorelai I need to know, if you don't want this, if you don't want me, if I am just something you thought you always wanted and turned out to be less than desired I just I need to know because I can't keep doing this, I can't keep getting you and loosing you, I can't keep worrying if every little thing I do or say is going to bring it all coming down on me. I need to know that if you are in this thing, that you are in it, come what may good or bad, no running, no hiding, in it, working it out, whatever problem you might have or I might have talking about it, making it right because I love you Lorelai and I just can't take not knowing what is going on in that crazy beautiful head of yours."

Lorelai pulled Luke in for a hug and held him tight.

"You're scared too." Lorelai said with a smile in his ear.

"Terrified." Luke agreed.

"That is the best thing I have heard all day. And to answer your question, you know I am in this with you. I love you, I don't want to loose you again."

"We are going to drive ourselves nuts if we don't just move forward, and forget what happened before." Luke said looking Lorelai square in the eye.

"I know." She said softly.

"If you're freaking out, I need to know it. I need to know why." Luke continued.

"I know."

"I need you to talk to me about everything. We have to talk about everything." He said brushing back her hair.

"Absolutely." She smiled.

"No hiding."

"No hiding." Lorelai agreed kissing him.

"Good." He said standing looking at her for a moment. "You hungry?"

"Starving, I was really busy today, I didn't stop to eat."

"Seriously? You were that busy?" Luke suddenly felt like his whole rant was unfounded.

"Well I made myself that busy, now I don't have to go back to work for three weeks."

"Lets go get some grub crazy lady." Luke said opening the passenger side of the truck for her.

"You know." He said putting the truck in reverse. "That wasn't very nice what you did at the diner today."

"Is this us talking about everything?" Lorelai mocked.

"Yep."

"Well then I am very sorry, perhaps I can make it up to you." She said with a smile.

Luke chuckled. "Perhaps."

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	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Four: Collier Stone

Rory Gilmore opened her eyes and looked around the bus, it was the normal lot some sleeping, others typing away on their lap tops. She sat up and stretched her arms a bit, then noticed Collier Stone, a fellow greenhorn reporter from Atlanta chuckling in her direction. She looked at him and smiled then retrieved her lap top from its case. She worked for a moment before Collier was in sitting beside her still chuckling.

"Here." He said handing her a styrofoam cup of coffee. "You look like you need it." He was still chuckling as her took it.

"What is so funny?" She said taking the coffee.

"Um…well…in the last hour you've mumbled everything from, coffee over and over, to something about your mother and not getting a pony." He said finally allowing the chuckles to subside.

"You lie." Rory said offended.

"I am afraid I speak the truth, care for me to get back up? Hey Ben…was Gilmore talking in her sleep?" He said getting the attention of Ben Glass occupant of the seat in front of Rory's.

"Yeah Gilmore, if you're dreaming about coffee you've got to get a more exciting life!" He said laughing.

"Ha, there case and point, next time I am going to get out my old talkboy and record you."

"You're talkboy? Ok Macaulay."

"Hey don't knock Macaulay, or his talkboy that toy is single handedly responsible for me getting involved in journalism, the interviews I recorded on that thing…priceless. I got the exclusive scoop from senile old Mr.Kingston down the block on everything from who was getting divorced to what kids were teasing one and other on the playground, that man did nothing but sit on his front porch and memorize the comings and goings of the whole county. Best source I ever had God rest his soul."

"Amen." Rory said feeling immediately stupid. _Amen? Amen? Why did you go with Amen now he is going to think you are some kind of Jesus freak who speaks in tongues and dances with snakes. _She thought to herself.

"So what are you working on there Ace?" He asked of her open laptop.

Ace, no one had called her that since Logan. She knew it was just an expression but it took her mind out of the moment and the innocent flirtation that had been going on between she and Collier for weeks. She hadn't had a lot of time to think about him. After nearly a month without a word she figured he had moved on. She thought he would at least cool own and try to talk to her, but the weeks came and went and the phone just didn't ring. For a while she had herself convinced that he had called during a stretch they did in the western part of Kansas where while there was endless supply of cattle it seemed that cell phone coverage was too much to ask for. She realized quickly that even if he did call during her stint in the dead zone, she would have known it when they got back to civilization, but Lorelai managed to single handedly fill up her voicemail in that time, so she still thought maybe just maybe he had.

"Rory?" Collier said trying to bring her back to reality.

"Sorry, I kind of drifted there for a second."

"I'll say. So is it top secret? Get a one on one with big O? Are you selling your secrets to Hillary?"

"I wish, but no, just an e-mail to my mom, checking in you know." Rory said smiling.

"My mother wouldn't even know how to turn on a computer much less check e-mail but I will play along. Well tell momma Gilmore that Collier Stone reporter extraordinaire and handsomest sun of a gun on the bus says hello but if you want an autograph to send home, its going to cost you." He chuckled as he stood up to return to his seat.

"Hey I thought I was the handsomest sun of a gun on the bus." Ben said in his deadpan way causing both Rory and Collier to erupt in laughter.

"You want to grab some dinner with me at the next stop?" Collier said stopping in the isle.

"Oh." Rory said confused as to the intentions behind the question. It seemed to her that they had dined together about a thousand times since this all began, granted it was mostly with a group or fend for yourself out of vending machines at the hotels but this was an invite for dinner with him specifically him all alone presumably at the next stop.

"I know, I know you don't know what to say, Collier Stone really just asked you Rory Gilmore to have dinner with him, its either a dear diary moment or a good time to suddenly come down with some sort of incurable ailment that prevents you from sharing meals with brooding up and coming reporters."

"Um." Rory managed.

"Right, well you're killing me here Gilmore, how about this a promise of no funny business and get this…value meals on me, I know, its more than you expected but I think at this point in our friendship its about time I put it out there, the grand gesture. One day we'll look back on this dinner and think…that is how it all began."

"That's the night I had Collier Stone put in jail for the crime of over indulgently talking about himself?" Rory joked.

"Why Rory I'm hurt, its only over indulgent if it isn't true and I speak the truth Gilmore, I am all I advertise and more, have dinner with me. Friendly. No expectations. I'll even buy you a happy meal and let you keep the toy." He said batting his eye lashes.

He made her laugh, so much she couldn't say no but part of her was so worried about getting back out there, and the ramifications of a failed date with him while both committed to being on the same bus for the next year at least didn't escape her.

"All right, all right, but no funny business, and I want my toy."

"You've got it. So I'll pick you up at your chair about…whenever the hell we stop?" He said flashing her that smile she was sure had to cost his parents a fortune in dental bills, no ones teeth really sparkled the way his seemed to it would have been unnerving if she didn't find it so appealing.

"See ya then." Rory said laughing still.

"Right see, this would be so much cooler if I was going say more than five feet away from you, but you can't have it all now can you."

"I guess not even soon to be world renowned columnist Collier Stone can have it all." Rory said mocking him.

"I'm glad you are starting to see things my way." And with a wink he sat back in his chair.

It was just then that Rorys phone began to vibrate on her chair.

"Its my mom, I'll tell her you said hi." She said getting up to take the call.

There were about twenty other people on her bus, mostly C-team reporters out here to feed information to the big guys who would do the majority of the reporting on the events that they attended. Some worked for newspapers, others internet resources, magazines, even network tv but they all had two things in common, they were all paying their dues and none of them really wanted to sit and listen to you have a conversation on the bus with your mother. So Rory made her way to the front of the bus, the things the bus driver must know about each of them was probably enough to fill a book, as the seat right behind his was nicknamed the phone booth and the only acceptable location to take and make phone calls while the bus was moving.

"Hey mom how are you?" Rory answered.

"Oh you know planning global domination, hows my little news reporter?" Lorelai quipped.

"I'm good a little confused but I am good." Rory yawned into the phone.

"Oh honey you didn't rent The Good Shepard did you, I told you that movie was trouble."

"No, its not that, I actually thought it was a good movie once you got passed the fact that twenty some years passed and Matt Damon never aged a bit. No its this guy, this reporter on the bus with me. I think he just asked me out." Rory knew telling Lorelai was trouble but didn't see much other option at this point for another opinion on the matter.

"You think, what part was confusing to you? What did he say?" Lorelai asked, Rory often wondered if this was typical fodder for mother daughter conversations or if from the outside looking in it seemed to others that she and her mother had just climbed out of some sort of radio active goo.

"He asked me if I wanted to join him for dinner at the next stop."

"Well hon, I would say you got asked out. What did you say?" If she was prying Lorelai didn't care she missed Rory and wanted to know about her, it seemed that each time they talked it was all about what she was working on and what she saw that day, not about her so much or how she was feeling about things.

"I agreed after he agreed that it would be purely platonic."

"Good, cause honey I don't think you want to get involved with anyone out there, if things don't work out you are stuck in that traveling can with him for who knows how long and that could be awkward not just for you two but for everyone around you. Plus you just broke up with Logan are you even ready to get back out there yet?" Lorelai knew it was Rorys choice to break up with Logan but she also knew it was never easy letting go.

"I know, and I don't know if I am, or not. It hard, I totally expected him to have a few days to cool off and be mad at me and then call me and maybe we could work things out, not get married or anything but work things out figure out what was a more reasonable option for us but I guess it really was all or nothing for him and I can't give him all…"

"So you get nothing." Lorelai finished.

"So I get nothing." It was clear from Rorys voice she could go on all the dinners in the world with Collier, right now she wasn't ready for anything else, it was just too soon.

"I'm sorry hon."

"Its ok. It wasn't the right time. We never would have made it through this, he would hate it. He'd be showing up in every other town distracting me and trying to get me to leave my job, it would be bad."

"I'm sure its for the best."

"So what about you, how are you? How is Luke? How are you and Luke?"

"I am good, Luke is good, we are good. I've been busy at the Inn that article ran last month about great places to get married in Connecticut we got number seven on the list, apparently the article didn't mention that owner had one failed marriage and two cancelled engagements under her belt and very well could be anthrax for relationships, so now as it stands if you think you might want to get married here I'll need to know now, and even then the first availability isn't until October of 2012."

"Wow mom, that's great."

"Ok so it isn't quite that bad but it is close. Sookie is going to have to hire two more kitchen staff just to meet the demands of our wedding package."

"And how are you and Luke doing? You guys past the hump?" Rory knew as soon as she said it what was about to come out of her mothers mouth.

"Dirty!" Lorelai squealed.

"Mom!"

"You said it kid, not me. Yeah I think we are. It was scary at first I think for both of us. You'd think two people so afraid of losing one and other wouldn't do such a great job of pushing each other away, but we're doing good. In fact April will be here in another two weeks and he wants to take a trip all three of us."

Somehow even though she was almost twenty-two years old, and out on her own the thought of her mother bonding with another child shot a twinge of jealousy through her.

"That will be fun, any ideas on where you are going to go?"

"Not sure yet, Luke wants to talk to April a little more about it, but right now the front runner is Maine, to test out the boat."

"That will be fun."

"Yeah I think so. So tell me about the guy." Lorelai probed.

"What?"

"I can hear your brain churning through the phone, tell me about the guy, come on Gilmore dish, pretend that you are writing a gossip column and you are Brittany and he is Collin Farrell."

Though Lorelais analogy left something to be desired Rory filled her in on one Collier Stone.

Collier Stone was a twenty-seven year old up and comer in the journalism world known for his humor as well as his facts. He fed you your news in small easy to manage bites, with just enough sugar to help it go down. People often accused him of being too soft on candidates in interviews but he believed that the real story wasn't wrapped up in the platform but the person. If Rory was C-team reporter, Collier was B-team with occasional glimpses of A-team greatness. Lorelai googled his name as soon as she got to work the next day.

"It says here he is 6'3", enjoys golf and horse back riding, a democrat, born and raised in Val Dosta, Georgia. Yet still a democrat impressive, has two siblings and oh my god he's a super model…" Lorelai said waving Sookie over to her computer. "There is a picture, wow Rory said he was handsome but wow."

"And your advice about him was what?" Sookie said ogling the picture on the screen.

"To avoid it because they were going to be stuck on a bus together?" Lorelai said slapping her palm to her forehead.

"Call her back tell her you were wrong, tell her to bring him home, tell her to get him to put on a pair of black Calvins and let her take pictures of him." Sookie giggled.

"Sookie!" Lorelai shouted shocked.

"He's beautiful Lorelai."

"We are evil." Lorelai conceded.

"Quite possibly."

"This guy he is like her first real guy, her first non-school related ask out, ya know. I just hope she handles it well. He's twenty-seven…Sookie he is twenty-seven."

"Ok..so…"

"So she can't go out with someone who is twenty-seven I am still pretending I am twenty-seven." Lorelai said walking away from the computer.

"That's only five years older than her Lorelai she isn't going to always date people close to her age, besides isn't Luke like five years older than you?" Sookie pointed out.

"Six, but its different, we're both older."

"She isn't even dating this guy I am sure that in good time she will find herself a nice little twenty-three year old to bring home to you." Sookie said resuming her stirring.

"You're right she said she wasn't going to get involved with him its' much ado about nothing at this point."

"Right." Sookie agreed.

Lorelai said it, but she also knew her daughter and something told her that she hadn't heard the last about Collier Stone.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Five: Luke Danes Shops?

It was October, the leaves had changed there was a crispness in the air. Luke and Lorelai had made it through the summer together including a two week sailing adventure with April towards the end of it. Lorelai loved April; she reminded her a lot of Rory if Rory had been more into science than literature. Either way she was smart and funny and Lorelai was glad that Luke was finally letting her get to know her more. There were a few days that Lorelai played possum and told Luke and April to go on without her, she didn't want to take away all of their time together, she just wanted to be part of it sometimes. And it was on their last night there, when Luke peaked in on the two of them after he cleaned up the dinner mess that he knew, it was time to marry Lorelai.

April and Lorelai were sitting giggling listening to the radio and flipping through magazines. He just stopped and watched them from where he was, hoping they wouldn't sense him there and ruin their moment.

"Hey Lorelai, do you know how to French braid?" April asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do grab a couple bands out of my bag there front left pocket, I'll fix you up if you'd like." Lorelai said with a smile.

April quickly got into the bag and scurried back to Lorelai.

"Park it." Lorelai said patting the place in front of her on the couch.

"Did you braid Rorys hair a lot?" April asked.

"Not really, she was more of a let it flow kind of girl." Lorelai answered with a pause to think of Rory for a moment.

"Not me, with these frizzy curls I will do just about anything to not have to deal with it." April flipped the page in her magazine.

"Oh they're beautiful. You know my hair is naturally curly too." For once Lorelai felt like she and April were just having a conversation, not an audition. She had worked so hard for the last two weeks to show Luke that is was ok, to have them together and this just seemed so natural.

"Really? I haven't ever seen it that way." April said snapping Lorelai back to reality.

"Maybe I should start to let it go wild again huh?" Lorelai said tugging Aprils head gently back to she was looking at her and made a face.

"Maybe." April laughed.

Something came over Luke in that moment. He knew that everything was as it should be and he could go on with a wedding with her, and a life with her no more side roads no more surprises.

That was almost two months ago. Luke still carried that ring around in the pocket of his jeans every day so she wouldn't accidentally find it. She stole his thunder last time, he just wanted to make sure that everything was perfect this time.

Lorelai breezed through the door of the diner and made a b-line for the coffee, she didn't even bother stopping at Luke anymore. As part of their new found complete honesty rule, she had revealed that she felt bad when Luke had to take time away from his paying customers just to bring her more coffee, so he agreed that if he was otherwise engaged with a patron she could help herself to whatever she needed behind the counter rant free. As Lorelai often did, she was totally taking advantage of the agreement.

"Hey hon." She said kissing Luke on the cheek and picking up the pot.

"Hey hows your day?" Luke said smiling.

"Oh you know same ol' same ol' forest animals helped me with my chores seven short guys followed me home…"

"I'm not positive why I ever think I will ever get a serious answer from you." Luke said clearing a plate.

"Me either." Lorelai said grabbing a donut from under its glass container.

"Hey hey hey , what are you doing I'm taking you to dinner in less than an hour."

"I know you are, you're taking me there someplace sneaky and suspicious and not telling me a thing. So I don't know if I will like the food, or how long it takes to get there, and I have to go home and change and get ready all things that require energy, energy that requires food to replenish and I have not eaten since breakfast so, if I don't eat this donut, we might not ever make it to diner because I will collapse from malnourishment."

"Eat your donut." Luke said once again defeated.

"Thank you." Lorelai said with a quick peck before heading to the door.

"I'm picking you up in less than an hour, please I'm begging you, be ready, completely ready, I don't want to pick your shoes, or which skirt. You completely dressed at your house in forty-five minutes." Luke said.

"Why Luke its been oh so long since you wanted me completely dressed whatever will I do?" Lorelai said as she finally left the diner leaving Luke red faced and nervous.

"Surprise dinner huh?" Miss Patty chimed in from her meal.

"Yeah, you know Lorelais been really busy at the Inn, things are finally starting to settle down a little, you know she deserves it." Luke said trying not to reveal too much.

"That's nice, you sure it doesn't have anything to do with that ring you're hiding in your pocket?"

Luke froze for a second then sat down at the table with patty and half whispered half yelled as he leaned in to her.

"How did could you possibly know I have a ring in my pocket?" Luke asked.

"Because honey, these eyes have seen it all. You keep checking your pocket every ten seconds like you've already lost something, and you're not that worried about a few quarters I assume."

"Patty, you've got to promise me, you won't say anything until Lorelai herself tells you it happened. Please Patty." Luke pleaded.

"Of course not honey." Patty said with a smile.

"Thank you." Luke said jumping from his seat, he was so excited he kissed Patty on her cheek.

"Keep that up and I'll marry you." Patty teased.

Luke didn't have time to go one more round with Patty so he just ran up stairs to get ready. As he buttoned the last button on his new shirt, he tired to run through what he planned to say again. But all he could think about was how much she was going to tease him for buying a new shirt and if the shirt wasn't cause for teasing the new pair of jeans he put on was. He grabbed his jacket and keys and went back down into the diner.

"Looking good there sugar." Babette called as he opened the front door.

"Ladies." He said giving both Patti and Babette a wink as he left. He knew that Patty had certainly told Babette, but hoped that the two would keep it under wraps at least until they were able to tell people themselves.

To his surprise Lorelai was standing on the front porch waiting for him when he pulled in the drive. He didn't know how she did it but somehow she never stopped taking his breath away. Her hair was down, and she let the curl come through he always liked it when it was wild like that. Her dress was a beautiful shade of blue that made her eyes pop and sparkle. Luke almost without thinking touched the spot in his pocket where the ring was one more time before he approached her.

"Wow. You look…" Luke started, walking up to her kissing her first on the cheek then stepping back to look at her one more time. "Amazing."

"You're not so shabby yourself. New shirt…and pants, who knew Luke Danes shopped." Lorelai said unable to control her smile, or the thought in her head that tonight must be special if Luke shopped.

"I made it many years before you started shopping for me, and never opened the diner naked." Luke joked.

"Oh maybe you should have ya know to pick up business, break up the monotony of clothed restaurateurs everywhere."

"Maybe next week." He said smiling. "Shall we?" He asked leading the way to his truck.

Lorelai could tell something was up, she knew Luke well enough to know when something was up and when they pulled up at Sniffy's Tavern she thought she knew what and butterflies started in the pit of her stomach.

"After you." Luke said opening the door for Lorelai.

They walked in and suddenly she realized the place was empty, not a soul in sight. Come to think of it there were no cars in the parking lot to speak of but she had been to preoccupied to notice before.

The lights were low and two candles flickered in the corner booth that they shared on their first date. It seemed like a lifetime had past since then, being back there brought back all of those feelings that she felt that first night, and she had a feeling she knew why they were there.

"Wow Luke what did you do buy the place out?" Lorelai asked as she took her seat.

"What can I say I know the owners." He had no sooner spoken those words than Mazzy and Buddy appeared at the table with two glasses of wine and their first course.

"Hi Mazzy, Buddy, how are you?" Lorelai asked and smiled.

"We're just fine sweetheart, you two enjoy your meal." Mazzy said.

Buddy followed his wife back to the kitchen and gave Luke a thumbs up and a wink as he slipped back through the door.

"You think we'll ever be like those two?" Lorelai asked.

"I hope not. Mazzy is nuttier than a squirrel and Buddy lives in a constant state of beer buzzed that even the drunkest of the drunks marvels at." Luke said taking a sip.

"I mean old together, happy, even if that means you drink and I loose my mind." Lorelai persisted.

"Definitely." He said kissing Lorelai. "While its hot." He said picking up his fork.

"Luke, this is all too much, is there a special occasion I'm forgetting here, an anniversary I'm not aware of? I know I haven't given you any horoscopes lately." Lorelai rambled.

"You've been busy lately, I thought you could use a nice night, you're missing Rory I know that, I just thought it would be nice to get out, go someplace special have a nice meal, relax you know."

"Oh Luke that's sweet, I have been kind of stressed with Rory being gone and all the weddings being booked at the Inn. Thank you." She said kissing his cheek, she let her hand glide down his cheek while she studied the man in front of her. She really did love him.

By the end of desert Luke had Lorelai completely convinced that this really was nothing more than a nice meal out in private, no big conspiracy behind it. Luke's nerves were building as they quickly finished their desert he knew it was time to do what he came to do.

He looked around the empty room and thought of all the things he wanted to say to her, but couldn't get his mind to slow down enough to pick out one thought from the other. He took Lorelais hands in his and smiled. She smiled back at him and he began to speak.

"Lorelai, there are a lot of things in my life, that I wish I did, and things I wish I had never done. I wish I would have spoken up sooner when I knew you were supposed to be with me cause I knew it, I knew it from the day you gave me that damn horoscope it was you. And I wish I had never let you go before, I wish I had the sense God gave a gnat sometimes when it comes to knowing what to say, and when to say it. And one of the things that I wish I had done, but never really got a chance to was ask you…" He said reaching in his pocket and sliding out of the booth onto one knee. "Is if there was any way you Lorelai Gilmore might want to marry a guy like me, who might not always know what to say or when, but is willing to spend his life learning with you."

In all of Lorelais thirty-eight years she had never been speechless and it worried Luke a little that she wasn't answering, she was just staring at him, and the ring, and back at him. For a person who had been engaged three times, she had never been proposed to live in person, with someone on one knee making her a promise of his life for her.

Lorelai just nodded her head and began to sob as Luke pulled her out of the booth to kiss her. He picked her up and squeezed her so tightly Lorelai worried for a moment she might not get another breath. As he returned her feet to the ground he took her left hand in his and slid the ring on her finger.

"Oh my god Luke, its amazing." She said admiring the ring on her finger.

"Lizzy designed it, I helped a little and one of her friends a goldsmith made it, I've had it for two months, terrified that you'd find it and then Miss Patty found out, and Babette so they might not be surprised in fact there might not be a soul in Connecticut that didn't know about it other than maybe you, and I love you and I am glad you love it, and I hope you mean that cause if you don't we can get you another I just want you to be happy and you're going to be wearing it every day so I don't want you to have to look at something you don't even like ya know, cause that would be bad, and I wouldn't want you to have to do something like that…" Luke was rambling; there was nothing sexier in this world to Lorelai than a frazzled and rambling Luke.

Lorelai kissed him again and somewhere in the time it took to kiss him again something inside her snapped.

"When." She said suddenly ripping them both out of the moment.

"What?" Luke said confused.

"When, when are we getting married, when is it happening, I don't want to drag this on too long. I don't want there to be anything that stops us or gets in the way or keeps me from finally getting to marry you."

"Then we do it as soon as possible." Luke said serious as he could.

"Rory!" Lorelai shouted.

Luke looked around the room, the way she just yelled he would have bet she was in the room now.

"What? What about Rory, you want to call her, here use my phone." Luke said fumbling for his cell phone.

"No, we can't get married without Rory so we can't do it tomorrow or anything. And April, we have to wait until April can be here, you want your daughter at our wedding right? We should have both of our kids there, like the Brady Bunch, everyone should be together ya know."

"Yes, April should be there too." Luke said laughing out loud now.

"Why are you laughing we have a lot to do, a lot of people to coordinate." Lorelai said panicking.

"You, just you, I promise you, were going to have our wedding but we don't have to plan it all tonight."

"There is precedence here, we've been engaged before, both of us have had marriages for less than a year, both of us have made mistakes, and I just don't want anymore mistakes with us, I want to get married, I want it to happen, and I want it to stick."

"Consider yourself stuck." Luke said holding her tightly.

Lorelai finally calmed down and breathed. She wasn't positive where Rory was, but she had to call her, no matter what time it was where ever she was.

Rory heard her cell phone rattling in her bag, she looked around but tried not to move she didn't want to wake Collier who was sleeping beside her in his bunk. Rory and Collier had graduated to a better bus than they started with and the field had thinned immensely what started out a bus of twenty thinned to about seven full time and up to twelve now and then and the whole lot of reporters were moved from a charter bus to more of a conventional tour bus, with twelve bunks in the back and a living space with seats in the front. In addition to moving on up in the tour bus world Rory and Collier were also moving on up in the romance world. Rory held her ground as long as she could but eventually she had to weigh the consequences of what would happen if things didn't work with Collier against what would happen if they did and decided she was ready to take that risk. She reached for the bag at her feet and Collier rolled over giving her a clear shot at her phone.

"Hello." She whispered it was midnight in Alabama and most of the bus was passed out already.

"Rory, I have big news, Luke proposed." Lorelai squealed on the phone.

"Oh my god mom that's great!" Rory couldn't contain her volume.

"What, who the hell, Rory what are you yelling about go back to sleep darlin'." Collier said not realizing Rory was on the phone with her mother.

"Who was that?" Lorelai asked distracted by the manly southern voice that just asked her daughter back to bed. "Are you sleeping with Collier now? I thought you weren't going to get involved with him, when did this happen?"

"Collier? Who the hell is Collier?" Luke asked. Lorelai waved him off, trying to figure out what was going on .

Rory knew she was caught.

"About a month or so ago, I didn't tell you because I wasn't sure it was going to stick and well I guess it has." Rory said smacking Collier; he knew he was in big trouble once she got of the phone for letting the cat out of the bag.

"Well I'll say."

"There is plenty of time to talk about that later, I want to know what happened how'd he propose where are you what happened come on come on fill me in." Rory begged.

Lorelai put a pin in the issue, it didn't matter much now, but she was not about to let Rory get off without spilling her guts. However nothing was going to come between her and the happiest news the Gilmore girls had, had in a long, long time.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own a single thing.

A/N: Any feed back is appreciated, please read and review. I know you are reading it, I know you are, and thank you, thank you, thank you for that, you are adding this little fic to your favs like crazy, now go ahead and let me know what you think. It makes me what to keep writing it!!!

Chapter Six: A Wedding Date

"So you're not going to be able to make it home for your birthday?" Lorelai said her whole body deflating with the news.

"I told you it was a slim chance and I just can't get back, I'm sorry mom." Rory knew she was killing her mother with the news.

"Its ok. I understand." Lorelai was let down but she got it.

"But, I think I have some news that will make you very, very happy." Rory continued.

"Oh?" Lorelai said perking up a bit.

"Yes. Now I know you are sad about not getting me home for my birthday, and I know you'll be sad when I tell you I can't make it for Thanksgiving either." Rory knew she was digging a hole with her mother but had high hopes of redeeming herself.

"You can't make it for Thanksgiving either? That's it I'm voting Clinton." Lorelai huffed taking a bit of her donut.

"Bite your tongue. We only have two days at Thanksgiving there is a big town hall meeting in Atlanta two days later. I wouldn't have time to get home so, I'm just going to go with Collier to his families." Some days Rory wondered why she even tried with her mother.

"Whoa whoa whoa, you're meeting the family now? When do I get to meet this clown?" Lorelai didn't like the idea of her daughter spending time with his family partly because that meant she wasn't and partly because she wanted to meet him first.

"I'm not the only one going there; about five of us will be there because there isn't time to get home. And I am trying to tell you when you'll get to meet him." Rory hoped the fact that it wasn't a cozy little family only dinner would help her mother relax a little about it.

"Ok, ok, this better be good." Lorelai knew her hands were tied and she could only hope for the best.

"We have almost five weeks off from December first to January fourth, so I will be all yours for all that time. I'll write a few POV stories from home but Obama is taking the month off to regroup and be with his family and if he is off, so are we." Rory continued.

"They won't just put you on another assignment?" Lorelai was looking for the hitch.

"Like I said I'll write some POV's on different things we've seen and done while on the road, and current events but other than that, I am off the hook for almost five weeks." Rory could hear her mother coming around.

"And you'll be here?" Lorelai asked.

"Yep." Rory chirped.

"In Stars Hallow?" Said Lorelai.

"Yep." Rory knew she could do this for hours.

"With your mommy?" Lorelai knew it was pathetic but she didn't care.

"Yep." Rory rolled her eyes at Collier as he came into the room and wrapped his arms around her.

"All the time?" Lorelai knew that last one was probably a little much.

"Well, I'd like to see some other people two, Lane, maybe Paris. Grandma, Grandpa." Rory said trying not to give away that Collier had started kissing her next. She pushed him back and playfully waved him off.

"Well sure, but you'll stay here, in my house, where I can keep you safe and warm." Lorelai was going to stop at nothing.

"Uh huh. Yeah speaking of, um there is something I need to run by you." She said smiling as Collier was waving her to come to bed.

"Uh oh, here comes the catch." Lorelais guard went back up.

"No catch per say, I just. I'd like to bring Collier home, not for the whole time, maybe just the last week. And I'd like him to be able to stay with us." With the mention of his name Collier rolled over onto his belly put his hands under his chin and batted his eyes at her. She'd never been with someone quite as goofy as he was.

Lorelai wasn't quite sure what to say, she didn't have any problems with Collier, she'd never met him and would love to. Rory only had good things to say about him but she worried that Rory was moving full speed from one guy to the next but if it was important to Rory it was important to her.

"Of course hon, we'll figure out something, make up the couch or something." Lorelai knew that wasn't going to fly, not with the kind of time Rory had been putting in with Collier, and every time they talked he gained more points with her.

"Mom." Rory said in the kind of tone that suggested she didn't want Collier staying on the couch.

"Oh right, well…I suppose you two can take your room I can get a cot from the Inn…" Lorelai was buying time at this point.

"If its ok with you we'll just share my bed." Collier acted out a very convincing death scene with Rorys last comment.

Lorelai wasn't at all prepared for what her daughter was saying, she wasn't nieve she knew that she had slept with people, she and Logan lived together for heavens sake but never was it in her house, under her roof. But eventually Lorelai was going to have to face facts her daughter wasn't a little girl anymore, she was a gown woman, with grown woman relationships.

Lorelai coughed. "Um well sure honey of course but your bed is a little small for guests isn't it?"

"It will be fine, we are used to sleeping two in our bunk, its cozy but it works for us." Collier couldn't believe what she was saying…he mouthed the words "Don't tell her that." But it was already too late.

"So you really like this guy huh?" Lorelai said fiddling with her ring.

"Yeah he's pretty amazing. He's so smart but not cocky, and funny, so funny and he has the biggest heart, he loves kids, and animals and books, and traveling. He actually is thinking about getting out of the political arena and moving on to travel writing. Where to go what to see, what to eat." Rory walked up to Collier as she talked, shed him with her finger and looked right at him as she listed all the things she liked about him.

"Isn't that a little bit of a step down." Lorelai asked.

"It could be a little but, it is where his heart is you know, and the small step down would be made up in how happy he would be doing what he really loves ya know. You've read his stuff he isn't ruthless enough for the political arena, he's much softer than that." Rory playfully patted Colliers stomach which thanks to a steady diet of road food and little time for exercise while on the road had become a little less tighter than when they'd first met. She got up from him and walked outside their room at the Best Western. She didn't want him to hear the next part of the conversation.

Lorelai had never heard her talk about a man like this before she sounded like…well she sounded a lot like herself when she talked about Luke.

"Mom he just, he makes me happy ya know. And there is no trick up his sleeve, he isn't about the big shows, he listens and does the little things ya know. I know its fast mom but I am really truly falling for him." Lorelai could hear her daughter smiling as she spoke.

"Wow falling for him that's some big stuff." Lorelai said trying not to sound forced.

"Its true mom, and I know you are probably wigging out over there, but you'll see he's great to me, he's a great guy, you're going to really love him."

"I am sure I will hon." Lorelai said putting her feelings aside. She knew her daughter had a good head on her shoulders, it was just hard to let go and it seemed to her that all she was doing with her lately is letting go.

That night at dinner Lorelai let Luke in on the news about Rory coming home.

"So I talked to Rory today." She said setting two glasses on the table.

"Oh yeah how is she? Where is she?" Luke thought he should have come up with a better question but he didn't.

"Um somewhere, we actually didn't really get into it. She actually had some really good news. She is getting some time off in December actually about five weeks." Lorelai decided easing Luke in was the best way, this came from years of experience and she also knew that when it came to Rory there was no one more protective than Luke.

"Really that's great, she's coming back here right, staying here, we should wash her sheets and give her room a spruce, we've hardly been in there, I'll take a look tomorrow and make a list." Luke said getting more excited that she had anticipated.

"Great, that sounds great, and hon, she is going to have her new boyfriend come up, for at least part of the trip, not sure what part we didn't really discuss it but he'll stay here too." Lorelai said setting two plates on the table as Luke pulled a hot lasagna out of the oven.

"So we get to meet the new guy huh, that's cool, you can bring in a cot from the Inn then or…" Luke said pouring each of them a glass of wine.

"Well no, I thought what we might do is get rid of Rorys old bed and put your bed in there. You know cause you aren't living at your apartment anymore we might as well move the rest of your things over here." Slow and steady Lorelai thought to herself.

"Yeah sure but where are we going to put this Collier guy?" Luke asked for a moment then it hit him. "You mean…he and Rory." Lorelai nodded him along in his thought process. "Are going to stay in there." He said pointing. "In my old bed." Lorelai continued to nod. "Together."

"Yeah pretty much." Lorelai said serving them both their meal. Luke took up some salad and put it on eat plate. Lorelai looked at the lettuce as if it was from outer space before giving in and grabbing the ranch dressing.

"Wow, I guess, I mean she's going to be twenty three soon. Speaking of what do we do now, do I still get her something and you, or do we do something together, cause I'm down for whatever, I just need to know cause ya know its soon, and I want to get something for her, you might have to help a little but, I want to cause you know." Luke rambled, it seemed she brought out the ramble in him, but as long as he rambled he normally came around to whatever crazy idea she was selling.

"I know hon, we can get her something together or you can go on your own whatever you want." She knew Luke loved her daughter, had long before there was a ring on her finger, took care of her, but it still made her smile when he talked about her the same way she did.

"So wow yeah, I mean she is twenty three, I know what I was doing at twenty three I guess she is probably doing the same things and this guy do we like him? I mean I know we don't know him but he's a good guy right? And I mean we stayed with her and Logan that one time and that wasn't so bad. So yeah ok, I'll get the bed and bring it over tomorrow." Luke finished and took a bite of his salad.

Lorelai stood up from their dinner and sat back down on his lap, took the hat off his head and looked at him.

"You know what I love about you." She said playing with his hair.

"My boyish good looks?" Luke teased.

"I love the way you know what is important to me and make it important to you. And you love Rory, like she is your own daughter and you are protective of her, but you trust me and follow my lead with her." She said looking at him square in the eye.

"I love you too." Luke said.

"So tomorrow." Lorelai said hopping up and grabbing the extra cheese for her food. Luke watched as she added it and held in the fifteen things he'd like to say to her about slowly killing herself.

"Tomorrow I'll get the bed and bring it here." Luke said getting back to his salad.

"I will buy her some new linens, no offense but she might like something a little less manly." Lorelai said returning back to her chair.

"Wait a second. When will she be here?" Luke looked like he had an idea.

"December first to January fourth." Lorelai looked at him confused.

"April will be here part of that time from the twenty seventh to the sixth." She wasn't sure where he was going with this line.

"We'll figure something out, she can bunk in the living room on a cot, or we'll figure out something." She thought maybe he was concerned about sleeping arrangements.

"No, the wedding. I mean yes, we'll have to figure that out, I didn't even think about that but she'll be here, Rory will be here…why not…" Luke said.

"Get married." Lorelai said eyes widening and pounding the table with excitement.

"We've got the place." He continued.

"The Inn." Lorelai beamed.

"And Sookie can handle the food." He supposed.

"That she can." She could hardly stand it.

"You think Lane would DJ a reception?"

"I think she could be talked into it."

"Everyone we'd invite lives here. And if they don't all that really matters is the kids will both be here." Luke said stopping a moment he'd never said that before, the kids…he like the way it sounded.

"They do."

"Now all we need is the day." Lorelai said jumping up and grabbing the calendar from the wall. "The 29th, it has to be the twenty-ninth." Lorelai picked up the phone and dialed the Inn.

"Dragon Fly Inn Michel speaking."

"Michel please on all that is Holy tell me that there isn't a wedding scheduled for December 29th."

"Lorelai." He said in his usual half disgusted tone.

"Yes its Lorelai, just tell me."

"OK, I am looking…December 29th, there is no wedding scheduled."

"Great. Reserve it for me please."

"Under what name." Michel was annoyed.

"Gilmore-Danes wedding."

"Shut-up." Michel said suddenly perking.

"You shut up." Lorelai replied.

"You and diner man are really going to get married, I cannot believe it."

"Well believe it." Lorelai said hanging up the phone.

I could be evil and leave you hanging…I need to know you want it…let me know what you think!


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed keep them coming!!

And still I own nothing, sad but true.

Chapter Seven: Wedding Gifts

"Mom, I don't even know these people I told you were trying to keep things small ya know, we aren't big fancy people we don't need a big fancy wedding." Lorelai said reading over her mothers guest list for the wedding.

"The number of people invited doesn't have any bearing on how fancy or not fancy the affair is, these people have known you since you were a child it is only polite to invite them." Emily insisted.

"These people." Lorelai pointed to the paper .

"Yes." Emily rolled her eyes.

"Have known me since I was a child." Lorelai looked at her in amazement.

"Yes."

"Mom if these people have known me since I was a child then why don't know recognize any of the names." She said handing her mother back her list.

"Perhaps you have early onset Alzheimers, I don't know but they have." Emily was trying hard to be patient of her daughter but there were times she felt like she didn't take a single word seriously.

"Tell you what lets send them all invites and three pictures two ringers and one of me and if the can identify me in the line up and send us back the correct picture as an RSVP they can come." Lorelai joked.

"Lorelai you're impossible." Emily said frustrated with her daughter.

"So I've heard. Listen take it down to 25, please mom 25 guests I am begging you." Lorelai said grabbing her mothers hand in a show of willingness to compromise.

"Well I suppose I can pair it down a little."

"Thank you."

"Welcome." She said with a polite smile, just as Richard came into keep her from starting round two.

"Lorelai, could I see you in my office a moment." He asked.

"Sure dad."

Lorelai followed her father into his office.

"Please sit down." He said taking a seat as well.

"Whats up dad." Lorelai said flopping onto the sofa.

"Well I just wanted to have a talk with you about the wedding."

Lorelais heart sank, the two of them had been doing so well she felt the moratorium from warfare between them coming swiftly to an end.

"Oh, ok." Lorelai said dreading where this conversation might go.

"Lorelai, you know that I am very proud of you. Raising Rory, opening your Inn, it shows your Gilmore blood. I may not have always agreed with your decisions Lorelai but I have always admired your will."

"Thank you dad." Lorelai felt bad for fearing this conversation.

"I know you and Luke have the wedding under control and don't need our support financially for it, and I admire your independence on the matter. But as your father…"

"Dad please don't give me the proper protocol speech."

"Lorelai please let me finish before you decide I am forcing social conduct down your throat. As your father I have always known there would come a day when I would take you on my arm down the isle and give you away to another man."

"I'm sure you thought that day would have come and gone by now."

"Lorelai please."

"Sorry dad."

"Since you were born I have thought about that day and planned for it. What I would say to you, and to him. But now that you are grown, I realize that you do not need any pearls of wisdom from me, you have done it on your own. In fact the fact that I am even giving you way is a formality, I do not have you give you to anyone, you are your own woman. But I am honored that you are allowing me this chance, I envisioned it since the day you were born."

"Oh dad." Lorelai said choking up.

"Anyway my point being, I know you and Luke have every aspect of this wedding handled and I respect that, but I would be honored, if you would allow me the honor of at least buying you your wedding dress, whatever you like, I don't request input, I would just like to buy my daughter her wedding dress."

"Wow dad."

"Please Lorelai, you are my only daughter and I love you, let me give you a gift for your wedding."

"Of course." Lorelai said standing up and hugging her father.

"You'll make a beautiful bride Lorelai."

"Thank you daddy."

"And Lorelai, I know he might not have need for owning a tuxedo, but would you mind terribly asking Luke to accompany me to my tailor, I'd like to buy him his tux. The wedding day isn't all about the bride you know a man should look his best. Think of it as an olive branch, a welcome to the Gilmore family."

"Dad that is sweet, I promise I will ask him, but Luke is a simple man I can't guarantee he'll be up for it."

"Every man should have a tailored suit. I know his father is no longer with us, but if I had a son I would do the same."

"I will ask him."

"Good. Now there is a small boutique here in Hartford, specializes in dresses that sort of thing, we insure them. Anyway, I spoke to her today and told her you'd be coming by, you just pick what you like and she will handle the rest. If you do not find your dress here…" He said handing her the card of the shop. "Do not feel obligated to use her, just find your dress elsewhere and get me their information, I will take care of the rest."

"Thank you daddy." Lorelai said hugging him and heading for the door of the study.

"Oh and Lorelai, I took a look around the other day, now again, don't take my word for it, but there is a dress there kind of a pale blush color almost champagne, I could see you in it when I saw it. If you care for an old mans thoughts on the matter."

"I will keep it in mind dad."

Two days later Lorelai, Sookie and Luke were on their way to Hartford. Lorelai and Sookie were headed to the bridal shop and Luke was meeting Richard at his tailor. After minimal coaxing by Lorelai he actually agreed to let Richard buy him his tux and to Lorelais surprise Luke seemed to be looking forward to it.

"Ok so you'll take the Jeep and meet dad, we'll be here looking at dresses and you'll call when you guys are done, and come get us." Lorelai said reviewing the plan.

"That is the idea yes." Luke said.

"Ok hon, now remember we nixed safari theme and no real man wears a white tux." She said kissing his cheek.

"Got it." He said. "Love you."

"Love you." Lorelai said as he drove away.

"Shall we?" Sookie said pointing towards the boutique.

"Lets." Lorelai said starting off towards the shop.

The women walked in and Lorelai quickly realized this wasn't just a dress shop this was a high end shop, that her father more than likely made an appointment for her to shop in.

"There are no price tags on these gowns." Sookie said looking around.

"Yeah, Sookie this isn't the kind of place where people look at prices." Lorelai replied and then she saw it, dressed on the mannequin near the back, a pale pink champagne color dress, a delicate pearl beaded bodes that cascaded down to a beautiful satin with a long train.

"That's it." Lorelai said walking to the dress and feeling the fabric under her fingers.

"May I help you?" A small white haired woman came up behind Lorelai to ask.

"I'm Lorelai Gilmore, my father said you'd be expecting me."

"Ah, yes, so you'd like to try on the one he picked out?" She said nodding to the dress.

"This is the dress my father picked?" Lorelai couldn't believe it.

"He said it was unique just like you. Shall I get it off the mannequin?"

Lorelai nodded.

"Your father?" Sookie said.

"Picked that dress, Sookie, that is it, that is THE dress, that's it."

"Well that was far to easy." Sookie said. "But you're right, that's it."

Luke came out of the dressing room and looked at himself in the mirror. He couldn't be sure he'd ever actually worn a tux, but something told him the fact that he was now buying one meant that Emily and Richard would expect him to wear it again, to some function he'd rather not attend. A price he was willing to pay, he was going to marry Lorelai and an insufferable function now and then wouldn't matter for all the days he would have just being with his wife. His wife, just thinking it made him smile.

"Well Luke you clean up quite well." Richard said placing a hand on Lukes shoulder.

"Thank you sir. So you think she'll like this one?" He asked.

"I think she will, but perhaps black is too much? Have you considered grey?"

Luke didn't know tuxes came in so many different colors, as they went through the racks he was overwhelmed. Finally he couldn't take it anymore.

"I don't know what I'm doing here Mr. Gilmore, maybe we should go get Lorelai and Sookie and just let them pick it out."

"Nonsense. Phillip has put one more suit in your dressing room, I think it will be just the ticket."

A few minutes later Luke was standing in front of the mirror examining himself in a charcoal tux.

"I'm not sure about this vest Richard." Luke said turning.

"Well, I understand it isn't the most manly of colors but if I know Lorelai I think it will compliment her dress splendidly." Richard said with a smile.

"You think?" Luke said looking again.

"Well actually I know, I had Phillip call over to the boutique and find out what she had picked and this color will match her perfectly."

"Its pink." Luke said.

"Its pink champagne and you look good in it." Richard said adjusting Lukes tie.

"Ok then, I guess this is the one."

"Very well then, Phillip put these two on my account." He said pointing to their tuxes.

"Richard are you sure I can't pay for this."

"I'm very sure son, you are becoming part of this family it is the least I can do."

"Thank you sir."

"I think I should actually be thanking you." Richard said with a smile.

"Thanking me?"

"I know I haven't always been the most supportive of your relationship with my daughter, and I hope we can let bygones be bygones as far as that goes. But over the last few years, I have seen it. I understand now what my daughter sees in you, you are a good man Luke, you have always been there for my daughter and granddaughter and for that I thank you. I won't always be around to protect them, I know you love them and will take that over when I'm no longer able to." Richard said.

"Thank you." Luke said. But he didn't like the way Richard was talking, he wondered if there was something he wasn't telling him.


End file.
